Self-esteem in your child

I have noticed that most women who are achievers have a strong self-esteem. I would love to raise my daughter who is now four years old to become a great woman. How do I go about instilling a strong self-esteem in her from the start? Natasha, Kimisagara. Dear Natasha,We are glad that you have set out to raise a strong independent woman with self-esteem. Society surely needs more of such people even if they are boys, and we believe you will succeed in this endeavour. Good self esteem means that one has the confidence to face challenges and a belief in their own ability to achieve goals. Girls with low self-esteem often end up developing dangerous relationships. There are many ways to boost or nurture your child’s confidence. You can start by encouraging your child to try out various things, for example, if she is always playing the same game then you can encourage her to try other games as well. She can even try out what others think are boys’ games. That way, she can know that the world is hers to conquer. Always make it a point to praise her for her ideas and efforts. She shouldn’t only be told that she is pretty; tell her she is smart too. Allow her to make mistakes and learn from them. Don’t expose her to media that degrades women, like music where women are scantily dressed. You can also buy her books about those inspirational women for her to read and learn from as she grows. Lastly, always stress that she should strive for the best no matter what.